


Catching the Last Time

by jingundersen



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Gen, Greasers, Socs, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 07:44:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15456573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jingundersen/pseuds/jingundersen
Summary: It has come the day where Ponyboy and his brothers attend Johnny's funeral. Ponyboy is saddened by the publicity and nature of things, but he learns valuable things from his brothers when he is faced with the hardest thing he has ever had to do.





	Catching the Last Time

“Hey Pony, sit still for a second, will you?” Darry said while he fidgeted with my tie. I stared at the ground while he tightened the tie more than I would’ve liked. Golly, I wish I didn’t have to look so fancy.

Soda and Steve sat at the table playing poker, while Two-Bit sat in front of the TV eating chocolate cake and beer. This reminded me of the rumble, right before the Socs and Greasers duked it out in the vacant lot. Right before Johnny died and Dally got himself shot…

“Ponyboy, are you okay?”

I looked up at Sodapop. Gosh, was he handsome in a white collared dress shirt. It was loosely tucked into his black dress pants and his hair was more kept than normal. I had to wrestle my hair like bull to tame it. Man, my hair is lousy looking.

I must have looked white as a sheet for Soda to ask. I nodded and started towards the door.

“You’ll be okay, kid.” Two-Bit slapped an arm on my back. I managed to catch his eye for one second and there was no laughter in them. Two-Bit hasn’t tried to say a joke this whole time. But I don’t blame him.

We started up the Ford and the boys piled in. I had to sit in the middle sandwiched between Soda and Steve. Because I am the smallest, I never get front seat, or any other seat but the middle for that matter.

“Ponyboy, did you tuck your shirt in?” Darry said looking at me through the front mirror. His eyes were like ice staring into me.

“No, but I’ll do it later.” I said, resting my head on Soda’s shoulder. I could already felt myself holding back tears. I hated crying in front of the gang. I watched through the windshield, tired from last night. I stayed up reading way past midnight because I couldn’t sleep. Soda never minded sleeping with the light on. Besides, he wouldn’t tell Darry that he did.

“No, you’ll do it now. Ponyboy, if the reporters are there-”

Something in my stirred, the same feeling I got when Darry had hit me, but this time I wasn’t going to be a pansy about it. “Damn the reporters! Johnny and Dallas are dead and all you care about are some reporters?” I began to half-cry and soda rubbed my knee.

“Hey, Pony, it’s okay. We care.” Sodas voice was soothing on the top of my head. I was already tired, and craved a cigarette but Darry didn’t want me reeking of smoke for the gathering.

“Ponyboy, quit cryin’, I just wanted us to look nice for a while. We need to look nice for Johnny’s funeral, it’s just how it is.”

Darry stopped looking at me through the mirror, and the car became awful quiet. Each bump in the road made my stomach hurt more than it already did, and the pounding in my head became louder. I only took three aspirins and I wish I took more.

The car ride seemed forever, as we drove down the winding roads to the funeral home. For a second I though we were out in the country, and I remembered Johnny again in waves. It seems our trip to Windrixville happened the other day, but I have come to terms with the fact that both Johnny and Dally are dead. Even to recognize Bob as just a kid who wanted nothing but someone to tell him no and he ended up dead instead. More and more I’m realizing that our society makes us who we are and who we are gets us hurt. Johnny was right. When can we live in a world were people are just people, not Socs or greasers, upper class and hoods, wine coloured sweaters and greasy long hair…

We arrived faster than I thought. I must have dozed off because Soda was shaking me. I grabbed my head and shut my eyes for a bit.

“Hey Darry, give me a second?” I was really dizzy.

“Sure little buddy,” Darry tossed the keys to me. “Make sure you lock up, alright?” Soda and Steve were already heading towards the crowd, and Two-Bit stuck around with Darry. Darry rarely called me little buddy, not since I was sick.

I watched them walk away and I was left in the back seat of the ford. I opened the back door and swung my feet out, laying against the seat back. I felt real sick, and I wish I had eaten the dinner Darry made- eggs and bacon. Darry’s eggs were the best, right after mine. The emptiness bothered me.

I reached into the pocket on my shirt and pulled out a neat piece of lined paper. It was Johnny’s note. I didn’t take it with me everywhere, Darry and Soda both agreed it wouldn’t help me. But I found myself reading it after so long. It felt like the first time al over again, but this time I cried.

I placed in my pocket again and hoped out of the car. Steve was drawling at me to come over. I was even warming up to Steve. I locked the ford and hurried over to the home, just able to catch the sun setting.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters. All characters belong to S.E Hinton. 
> 
> Thank you for reading my first creation!
> 
> Jin Gundersen.


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